


And Your Bird Can Sing

by klynnvakarian



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-25 23:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3829036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klynnvakarian/pseuds/klynnvakarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Virmire, a late night moment aboard the Normandy between Shepard and some members of the ground crew. Second chapter immediately follows the Omega Dossier: Archangel mission. A small bit of language and in game violence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the song Nothing Better by The Postal Service, and I recommend listening to it because they are fantastic. I own nothing. Enjoy.
> 
> There are some changes from the other version I have posted while I get everything for this Shepard finished.

Shepard stood to the side of her cabin door, getting an impression rather than hearing, well she could hear a little through the metal plating, that a bit of a group was gathered in the mess.

 

_At this hour?_ She thought, stepping to the center of the door frame signaling it to open she crossed the small space to the main table. Hair up as usual, dressed in casuals she could have passed for a regular crew member at this hour. Her facial scars were the only distinguishing feature she had.

 

Kaidan had looked up when he heard the door but didn't stop his explanation to Tali. In his hands were two black boxes that she was running her gloved hand over tentatively, avoiding the edges where his fingers pressed against the simple machine. She was tilting her head from side to side, causing the flowing fabric to sway slightly.

 

"And it's a musical instrument?" She asked, hands back in her lap.

 

Kaidan turned in his chair to completely face his audience and adjusted the boxes, pantomiming playing a guitar. He pressed a button on the side and six vibrant strings of light grew from one box to the other. His eyebrows drew together, his face adopting the look of a tired, but patient teacher.

 

"Running your fingers over the strings here," He wiggled his fingers over the wider of the two boxes resting on his leg, "is called strumming…" Kaidan's fingers met the bright "strings" and a soft sound filled the open space.

 

Shepard continued past the two and landed at the counter with the intention of making tea, it was late she reasoned but a bit of tea never hurt anyone. She listened quietly as Kaidan continued his explanation, focusing on the process. The simplicity of it, in the middle of space brought a sense of normalcy to her very being. Memories of wandering her home during the night as a child were interrupted by the young alien's own reminiscent tone.

 

"We do not have anything like this in the fleet, our music is more..." Her hands moved back and forth in front of her face as she looked for the right words.

 

"Pounding on spare parts hoping for a rhythm?"

 

Shepard smiled at Garrus as he came out of the elevator, _Turning in to quite the party up here_. Although, she reasoned that not many people had been sleeping well since Virmire, frowning at her cup she shook her head to clear away the fog that had been there ever since returning to the Normandy. Garrus had made his way over past the table, leaning to the side to avoid the little Quarian's playful swing in his direction. A low rumble came from his chest in a way that had to be laughter.

 

Shepard poured the hot water she had prepared over her tea and had it covered with a plate by the time Garrus joined her, leaning against the counter he tilted his head to listen to Kaidan's lesson. Mandibles clicking against his jaw softly, Shepard could feel that he was content, something in the late hour had settled over the ship and it translated to all species.

 

Tali folded her arms over her chest and turned back to Kaidan, "Would you play a song for me?" She asked, the lights in her helmet dimming as though they were lowered to the floor.

 

"Ah, well," Kaidan cleared his throat and looked up at the other two occupants, "I'm not very good, but what would you like to hear?"

 

"A human love song?" She had asked, unfolding her arms and placing her hands nervously in her lap, her three fingered hands clasping and unclasping the other.

 

Shepard smiled, Kaidan it seemed, had picked up an admirer. Next to her she could hear another low sound coming from Garrus.

 

_If he were human I bet he'd be snickering_.

She met his eyes and finally took a drink of tea, he turned back to the seated pair and hers followed.

 

To his credit Kaidan adjusted the impromptu guitar and curved his shoulders forward, "Well here goes," A slight flush was working it's way up his neck. Against the olive skin it was subtle.

 

_Will someone please call a surgeon?_

_Who can crack my ribs and repair this broken heart_

_That you're deserting for better company?_

_I can't accept that it's over..._

_And I will block the door like a goalie tending the net_

_In the third quarter of a tied-game rivalry_

 

Shepard tapped her foot softly as Kaidan played, leaning back against the counter next to Garrus and the two watched on quietly. She saw the increased activity on Garrus' visor, small lines of haptic code running back and forth over the small screen. Tali had stopped her fidgeting and had her full, intense attention on Kaidan as he continued to sing softly.

 

_Tell me am I right to think that there could be nothing better?_

_Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together_

 

Setting the cup down between her and Garrus, Shepard took a small step forward with the intention of helping Kaidan out on the next verse, it was after all a duet, and poor Kaidan she thought, was starting to turn pink under the intense scrutiny of the tiny alien girl.

 

_I feel I must interject here you're getting carried away feeling sorry for yourself_

_With these revisions and gaps in history_

_So let me help you remember._

_I've made charts and graphs that should finally make it clear._

_I've prepared a lecture on why I have to leave_

 

She smiled around the words, not quite prepared for the three heads that spun her way. Her voice wasn't strong, it was soft and low and she could carry the notes well enough. Kaidan smiled and continued to play, exaggerating his hand movements for Tali to see. She looked over at Garrus, and as the song finished he still hadn't taken his attention off of her. His mandibles slightly fluttering, she held the blue gaze until the last verse, smiling she watched as the mandibles moved up and back to show part of his teeth.

 

"I do not understand all of this song, but it was lovely." Tali sighed, leaning back in her chair, her gaze focused on Kaidan once more.

 

"Ah, well, glad you enjoyed it. I didn't know you could sing Commander."

 

Shepard had to reach around Garrus to retrieve her now cold remainder of tea, she placed it in the wash bin and as she turned back to answer Kaidan, and caught another flash of Garrus' eyes still searching her face.

 

"Well, I'm much better on the battlefield certainly." She laughed and put her hands on her hips, "I'm glad that our friends here probably haven't heard enough humans singing to know the difference. Anyways isn't it all past your shift time? Get some rest everyone, we still have a long while before we reach the Citadel." Shepard stood watch as Kaidan tucked in the chairs, and Tali waved her goodbye, heading back to the elevator she could hear her still talking softly.

 

"That includes you too Garrus." She lifted her arms up in a stretch as far above her head as she could manage, and as they came back down bringing her hands into her pockets she brushed against the cool metal of his armor.

 

He didn't move. Both of their arms holding steady against the other. Shepard stared at the connecting point, afraid that if she moved this tenuousness bond that had only just formed would break. She wasn't sure when he had moved close enough for this to happen, but she couldn't bring to mind any reason to care.

 

She couldn’t remember the last time she had been touched without a reason.

 

"Human music has always sounded, well, strange to me. But I wouldn't mind hearing that song again. If you would be willing to sing again of course." Garrus looked down at Shepard, willing her to bring her face up to meet his.

 

She looked up, and with a small smile she thanked him and watched his mandibles pull back again slightly. Shepard wanted to ask what it meant, but she just kept smiling at him.

 

"I'll, ah, be on my way now. Get some rest Shepard, you deserve it." He rumbled low in his chest, and for once Shepard didn't know what it was for. She just watched as he moved away from her and made his own lonely trek to the elevator. He brought a gloved hand up and brushed the point of his armor where they had made contact before disappearing around the corner.

 

With the ship quiet again Shepard sat down at the deserted table and put her head down on the cold metal surface.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A follow up taking place directly after Dossier: Archangel

"Garrus Vakarian don't you dare die on me."

This had gone so, so wrong.

Shepard knew from the moment he took off his helmet, and oh how bright those blue eyes had been, that she never wanted to look away. She had thrown herself at him, folding around his armor nearly taking him off his perch. Ignoring the feeling of even more eyes upon her back she held on tightly with her face pressed against the cool plating of his armor. The memories of earlier touches, light, soft, were crushed under the vibrations she could feel running through her. This was far from home, but it was the closest she had been in a long time.

_You wonderful, miserable turian bastard_  
She had been worried about Garrus ever since the Illusive Man had told her that he had dropped off of the radar. Somewhere in the back of her mind she had been so disappointed, but there were things to do, colonies to check on, people to save. 

"I thought you were dead." Garrus repeated, bringing one hand to touch her armored shoulder.

A million thoughts were running through her mind, and as they worked through a plan she found herself filled with a determination she hadn't felt since waking up. The panic that took over the room as she threw herself into cover to avoid the gunship was nothing compared to the chaos inside her mind because she had taken his eyes off of him.

She couldn't remember anything else besides the screaming, screaming at Miranda to move faster, Joker screaming at her as they burst through the airlock. Oh, and Jacob, he was screaming at her when he pulled her out the med bay. She does remember her fist connecting with something hard before being forced into a submission hold.

Shepard hadn't left the med bay since Chakwas had let her back in. 

"Please." She watched as he breathed, the plates on his ridged nose shifting as the larger plates shifted to allow the expanding and contracting of softer fleshy hide working steadily. Any other time she would have loved this opportunity to watch him. But not like this.

Running her fingers along his hand, finally ungloved, rough and smooth all at once she could still feel where he had reached up and touched her. Had she even washed his blood off of her face? Her hair? Garrus' blind reaching had found purchase on her cheek, sliding down to her mouth and chin he had even managed to pull down a thick section of sweat curled hair which had stuck to his gloves. Shepard held on to his three fingers tightly whenever she felt him stir, brief bouts of lucidity that Chakwas warned would be common until his body was fully ready to accept the trauma and move on. To heal and to recover like all of this had been a bad dream.

Garrus began to fidget on the bed, talons lightly scratching the sheets and Shepard's hand. 

"She…mmm…member your…" His voice sounded harsh, hissing where it usually rumbled.

"Shhh, Garrus it's alright." Gathering his hand into both of hers she leaned forward curling herself over the bed, head resting on his elbow. She felt his arm flex, tightening.

"It's alright, I promise. Garrus please." Tears began to fall, running past her cheeks and dripping on to the bed, carrying the last flakes of his blood to the sheets. Big bad Commander Shepard in tears, she was sure Joker would have a good laugh about this later but she was finding it hard to focus on anything except the pile of blue and silver and spikes in front of her and the guilt of putting him in this situation.

Shepard pulled herself upright and without dropping the turian's hand she worked her way on to the bed. She placed her free hand on his sternum, or was it keel bone? She'd ask later, and held herself steady for the count of three more breaths on Garrus' part, and in a warbly voice she began singing as softly as she could.

_”Will someone please call a surgeon.”_

She stopped to take a shaky breath. She was out of ideas to help.

_Who can crack my ribs and repair this broken heart_  
_That you're deserting for better company?_  
_I can't accept that it's over_  
_And I will block the door like a goalie tending the net_  
_In the third quarter of a tied-game rivalry_

_So just say how to make it right_  
_And I swear I'll do my best to comply_

"Shepard, love." A warm hand touched her shoulder, giving her a gentle shake.

She raised her head, her mind slowly turning back on. Med bay, machines humming, touching...

"Chakwas?" She said sleepily, her eyes felt tight and there was an ache in her neck that registered in her brain as 'falling asleep in an awkward position.' She sat up and looked down at Garrus, still asleep, his breathing steady. Just like he had been before.

"Shepard, go get some rest." The doctor smiled softly as she brushed some of the hair back from the younger woman's face. "He'll be okay." Chakwas helped Shepard to her feet and guided her to the med bay doors watching through the glass as she shuffled to the elevator.

\-------------------------------------------

"No one would give me a mirror." and without waiting for the other human in the room to excuse himself, the one he was certain he hadn't seen before, he crossed the floor to Shepard. Garrus watched as her eyes flew from somewhere above his head to the bandages, and the charred mess of his armor and back again.

Shepard breathed in deep, "Hell Garrus," and was cut off by the wall of turian directly in front of her.

His arms came up and hovered at her shoulders, and then moved up to her ears and began pulling her hair forward. Tangling his fingers in the wave of curls surrounding this tiny human's face Garrus flared his good mandible and Shepard watched as he pulled in air through the side of his mouth before he spoke.

"There's no better company than you Shepard."


End file.
